2019 Figures Trending Higher than Category Average and QSR Industry as a Whole
Just one year ago, Church’s Chicken reported its sales and profits had increased system-wide to the brand’s highest levels in a decade. Now, the popular chicken brand, in the middle of a dramatic turnaround, says that 2019 is outperforming last year across multiple metrics. The brand recently strung together 20 consecutive weeks of positive comparative sales. System-wide, Church’s has also turned in 25 out of 28 weeks of positive sales, far above the average for other brands in the same chicken category.
Chief Executive Officer for Church’s, Joe Christina, says the results can all be attributed to a single concept – building on momentum. “When we embarked on this turnaround, we always saw it as a steady progression of wins,” he explains. “We operate in fifteen time zones around the world and succeed as a global brand because we’re leveraging our differences across boundaries and harnessing our common strengths. We’re developing the Church’s brand in new places with great franchisees, better-than-ever operations, and training. Each move has been carefully planned, timed, and executed to build on existing success and springboard towards future achievements.”
Church’s is also seeing emerging trends that bode well for the rest of the year and into 2020. “Some of our biggest successes have been tied to the Church’s Chicken To-Go platform that we’ve introduced across multiple technology platforms over the past year,” says Brian Gies, Chief Marketing Officer for the brand. “What started as a nod to our roots as a restaurant for pick-up orders of fried chicken has now expanded to include third-party delivery on a systemwide basis; our Order-Ahead Pay-Ahead option that lets guests order online and skip the line to pick up their orders in restaurants; and innovations to our Catering platform for serving Church’s at gatherings and events of all sizes.” Gies also shares that together, these enhancements have accounted for an average sales increase of $500 per week for many restaurants. “Our sharpened brand positioning tied to craveable products is resonating in our advertising, marketing, public relations, and digital efforts,” Gies continues, “and we are now planning to elevate our performance even further – in the year to come.”
The CEO also reinforces that Church’s isn’t taking its foot off the accelerator any time soon. “Make no mistake,” says Christina, “we’re very pleased with 2019 so far, but we are energized to finish this year strong and make 2020 even bigger. We’re continuing to deliver on our vision to become the global franchisor of choice by igniting growth, developing winning teams, driving guest satisfaction, and delivering financial results.”
Founded in San Antonio, TX in 1952 by George W. Church, Church’s Chicken is one of the largest quick service restaurant chicken chains in the world. Church’s specializes in Original and Spicy Chicken freshly prepared throughout the day in small batches that are hand-battered and double-breaded, Tender Strips, Honey-Butter Biscuits made from scratch and freshly baked, and classic, home-style sides all for a great value. Church’s (along with its sister brand Texas Chicken outside the Americas) has more than 1,500 locations in 25 countries and international territories and system-wide sales of more than $1 billion. For more information, visit www.churchs.com. Follow Church’s on Facebook at www.facebook.com/churchschicken and Twitter at www.twitter.com/churchschicken.